For Volunteering

Who can volunteer?

North Brooklyn Angels was built by and for the people of Greenpoint, Williamsburg, East Williamsburg, and Bushwick, and our volunteer community reflects that. If you live or work in North Brooklyn, this is your organization, and we’d love to have you involved.

We welcome volunteers from across the community to pitch in at our kitchen, serving meals from the Angelmobile, supporting Little Angels gear deliveries, staffing our twice-yearly Angel Babies events, and more. Our opportunities vary from weekly commitments to one-time involvement, so there’s a way in for almost anyone (see: Get Involved).

The easiest way to get started is through Deed: create a free account, search for “North Brooklyn Angels,” and browse available shifts.

Please sign up before you come. Our kitchen operates on a “no surprises” ethos; knowing who to expect helps us run safe, smooth shifts and ensures every volunteer has a meaningful experience. Shifts fill quickly and we often have a waitlist, so signing up in advance also guarantees your spot. If your plans change, a quick note to volunteer@northbrooklynangels.org lets us open your spot to someone waiting.

For emerging and flexible opportunities outside of our regular shifts, see our Get Involved page for more information!

What opportunities are available to children?

We do our best to accommodate volunteers of all ages, though our kitchen environment works best with experienced hands. Here’s how it works by age group:

Children (ages 6–13) - We ask that a parent or guardian volunteer with us a few times first to get familiar with our kitchen layout and shift flow. Once you’re oriented, you’re welcome to bring your child along with advance notice. Given the pace of our meal prep, we need to balance newcomers and younger volunteers with experienced volunteers.
High school students (ages 14–17) - Students can volunteer independently with a signed parental waiver. Email volunteer@northbrooklynangels.org to request the form. Once we receive it, the student can create a Deed account and sign up for shifts. Parents who prefer to volunteer alongside their teen are welcome to do so - both will need Deed accounts and should sign up for available spots separately.

Looking for family-friendly volunteer opportunities in Brooklyn? Our friends at The Service Collective are a wonderful resource for younger volunteers and family groups.

Are there opportunities to volunteer besides your weekly lunch shifts?

Absolutely! Beyond our regular weekday meal-packing shifts, we have a Sunday breakfast shift, twice-yearly Angel Babies giveaway events, and year-round Little Angels volunteer opportunities including gear pickups, deliveries, and inventory support.

We also post flexible, as-needed opportunities on our Get Involved page as they arise, from supply runs to one-off tasks that keep our operation running. Our newsletter, sent every other Monday, is the best way to hear about these as they come up.

Can I bring a group to volunteer?

As of Fall 2025, we’ve shifted our focus to prioritizing individual community volunteers. We are no longer scheduling corporate or group reservations for our Mobile Soup Kitchen shifts, as we want to keep those spots available for local neighbors.

That said, corporate teams are warmly welcome at our Angel Babies events, held twice a year in the spring and fall. These are a wonderful way for groups to engage meaningfully with the community. Email volunteer@northbrooklynangels.org to express interest and we’ll be in touch ahead of the next event!

Besides volunteering, what other ways can I be involved?

We’re glad you asked! Financial donations of any size go directly to sustaining our programs and are always needed. You can give via our Donate page.

You can also donate gently used infant and toddler gear to Little Angels, spread the word about our programs to neighbors who might need them, or follow us on Instagram and Facebook to share our work with your network. If you’re a North Brooklyn business or organization interested in a community partnership, please email fundraising@northbrooklynangels.org.

For Meals

Where can I find the Angelmobile during the week?

Here is our Angelmobile schedule. All meals are first come, first served and we have limited meals at each location. If possible, please arrive a few minutes earlier than the schedule suggests for each location!

Who can get a meal?

Our hot meals are available to anyone who shows up at one of our community meal locations during the designated days and times. All distributions take place outdoors, in public spaces: on the street, at a corner, or outside a church or community center. There is no building to enter and no need to give your name.

Do we need to show ID or proof of residence?

No ID, no proof of residence, and no income verification is ever required to receive a meal. If you show up, we’re happy to feed you. On occasion, we conduct meal counts for reporting purposes. Any information collected is used solely for counting and remains confidential.

Do you offer any other services?

Yes, in addition to our Mobile Soup Kitchen, we run three community programs:

Little Angels provides gently used essential infant and toddler gear like strollers, car seats, high chairs, and cribs to local families with children up to age five who live in our North Brooklyn catchment (11222, 11211, 11249, and 11206).
Angel Babies is our biannual community giveaway event. With the generous help from local businesses and organizations, we collect donations of all things baby- and child-related from across North Brooklyn and give them away to those who need them. This event is open to all.
Live Local is our newest initiative, helping Greenpoint and Williamsburg residents navigate NYC’s HousingConnect affordable housing lottery with support from trained volunteer Housing Ambassadors.

Donations

Do you take donations of food?

Thank you so much for thinking of us! We partner with Rethink Food and other bulk food supply partners like Food Bank for NYC, City Harvest and Trader Joe’s food donations.

We do not take regular pantry donations. Donors are better off directing food to the community fridges in North Brooklyn.

Do you take donations of household goods and adult clothing?

We do not accept donations of household goods or adult clothing, but we’re happy to connect you with a local partner who does. Just email us at fundraising@northbrooklynangels.org.

We do collect maternity, infant, and children’s clothing and gear on a seasonal basis through our Little Angels program and Angel Babies events. From time to time we also put out a call for specific kitchen supplies. Follow our newsletter or social media to catch those when they come up.

Other

Is North Brooklyn Angels a religious organization?

We get this question from time to time because of our cherished partnerships with local churches! North Brooklyn Angels is a secular non-profit organization that prioritizes working with our community and serving individuals of all backgrounds. We partner with local churches because of their footprint in the community and because they also graciously host our mobile soup kitchen vehicles and other pop-up events.

Is North Brooklyn Angels affiliated with any government agency?

No. North Brooklyn Angels is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We partner with city agencies and programs, but we operate independently and are not a government agency or city contractor.